Crimes Prompt More Police Patrols in Adams Morgan

A spate of crimes outside Adams Morgan clubs and bars, including two assaults in which victims were left in critical condition, has prompted police to plan greater deployment in the area of 18th Street NW, they said yesterday.

Larry McCoy, commander of the 3rd Police District, said the number of officers will grow to as many as 23, up from five to 10 on a typical Thursday, Friday or Saturday night.

McCoy said that the officers will be moved from other shifts in the 3rd District and that they will be on foot, in cars and on scooters. The officers will patrol the main strip and side streets, he said.

"We're going to get this under control and make sure people can come into Adams Morgan and not have any fear," McCoy said at a news conference organized by D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1).

A business group plans to supplement the effort with a contingent of security guards and off-duty police to patrol the area on weekends, said Josh Gibson, executive director of Adams Morgan's newly formed business improvement district.

Thousands of people pour into Adams Morgan on weekend nights, drawn by its cafes and clubs.

Pat Patrick, vice president of the Adams Morgan Business and Professional Association, said fights have been started by youths who hang out on 18th Street NW until clubs close at 3 a.m.

"They have nothing better to do than insult or assault women as they come out; I've seen it with my own eyes," he said. "And then you have a full-fledged fight. These are not people who work in the area. These are purely people who look to pick a fight."

Overall, reported crime in the area that includes 18th Street increased by 5 percent from 2004 to 2005, including a 38 percent increase in burglaries, according to police statistics provided by the Kalorama Citizens Association.

While robberies declined by 13 percent last year, there was an increase from August to December, when there were 61, compared with 42 during the same period in 2004, according to the statistics.

In recent weeks, five assaults were reported, up from two for the same period last year, McCoy said. In one incident in December, a man was beaten outside a parking garage on 18th Street and was in a coma for more than a week. Police recently made an arrest after a suspect surrendered.

Last weekend, a man, 35, fell into a coma after he was punched and his head hit the pavement, apparently while defending a woman who had exchanged words with a group of men.

At the news conference, Graham said the neighborhood is generally safe but needs more policing.

"It's not a situation where we have gangs," he said. "It's a situation where people are losing their tempers."